Tractor hitch



Nov, 1940; M. H. S AWYER 2221. 9

TRACTOR HITCH Filed March 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l F Q l; 5 u l 1 I /4 7 Figs.

Inventor Attorneys M. H. SAWYER TRACTOR HITCH Nov. 12, 1940.

2 Sheds-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1940 Inventor MIY/am/ fawyer Attorneys fuli improvements in tractorhitches and has for Patented Nov. 12,1940

.UNITED Es OFFICE Thepresent; invention relates to newand useone of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this char- H acter which will automatically lock the pin on vthe stub tongue of a :wagon, for example, when said pinis engaged in the hitch.

.Another very important object of the invention isto provide a hitch of the aforementioned character which will allow no slack or play, the con- ...nection being as firm asuthough it were made directlywith the draw bar of thetractor.

Still another veryimportant object of the invention is to providea hitch of the character described which will permit the wagon, tractor or other device to be conveniently backed when dc-. sired. t l

Other objects of the invention are to provide a 3 1 tractorihitch which will be comparatively simple 3 l .andadvantages of the invention will become ap- 25 in construction, strong: durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and-still further objects parent from a study of the following specification; taken in connection withthe accompanying.

. drawings wherein like characters ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hitch. constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view inside elevation of the device.

C 1 Figure 3. is an elevational view, looking at the rear end of the hitch.

40 01 thespacing elements.

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section through the device. i Figure 51s a perspective view.

Figure 6 is a detail view inperspective. of one Referring. now to the drawings in detail, it will .belseen that the embodiments of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a horizontal .member I ofrsuitablemetal said member being substantially U-shaped in lcrosslsection thereby providing a pair of vertically spaced, opposed upper and lower plates. 2 and. 3, respectively,

I ,which areconnected onone side. by a bight portion 4. The member I issecured horizontallyon therear end portion of. the tractor draw bar 5 and :projects rearwardly therefrom. I The draw bar 5 is secured: between the lower plate 3 of the member I and an angular metallicbrackett on 1 said lower plate.

; Mounted between the front end portions of the plates 2 and 3 is a metallic spacing element 1. The edge of the element 1 which is adjacent the open side of the member I is recessed in a manner to provide a spring seat 8. The bolts 9 which secure the member I to the draw-bar 5 are also utilized for securing the spacer l in position.

The-rear end portions of the plates 2 and 3 have formed therein substantially Y-shaped recesses I0. As shown to advantage in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the vertically aligned recesses I areadapted to receive theusual pin I I on the tongue of the wagon. Aspacing element I2 is secured in any suitable manner, as by welding, betweenthe rear endportions of the plates 2 and 3 I adjacent the open side of the member I.

,The' reference numeral I3 designates a latch which is pivotally mounted, as at I4, for swinging movement betweenthe plates 2 and 3. The bill of the latch or hook I3 is adapted to engage behind the pin I I in a manner to positively secure said pin in the stemjor'pocket portions I of the substantially Y-shaped recesses I0.

On the pivoted end of the latch or hook I3 is an integral lever I6 which projects from between the plates 2 and 3 at the open side of the member I. The free end portion of the lever I6 is provided with a slot I! to facilitate attaching to said lever a rope or the like I8 from the operators seat of the tractor. A coil spring I9 has one end engaged withthe seat 8 in the spacer I and its other end engaged with the lever I6 for yieldingly urging the latchjor hook I3 toward operative or looking position. I

It is thought that the. manner in which the hitch operates will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The latch or hook I3 is normally maintained in operative position across the inner portions of the recesses I0 by the coil spring I9. When the pin II enters the recesses I0 it is. directed by the converging walls thereof toward the pockets I5 of said recesses. The latch or hook I3 is thus pushed aside againstthe tension of the coil spring I9, the pin II entering the pockets I5. Of course, as soon as the pin II passes the bill portion of the latch or hook I3 and enters the pockets I5 said hook or latch is. returned to operative position behind said pin by thespring I9. Of course, to release the pin I I it is only necessary to actuate the lever IBuagainst the tension of. the coil spring I9 hitch constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:

A'hitch comprising a member-of substantially U-shaped cross section having recesses therein for the reception of a pin, an angular bracket mounted beneath said member, said bracket and member formed'for' the reception of a draw bar therebetween, a bolt securing the bracket to the member and passing through said member, a latch journaled on the bolt and operable in the member for releasably securing the pin in the recesses, a lever on the pivoted end of said latch, a spacing element mounted between the opposed walls of the member, a bolt passing through the member, the spacing element and the bracket, the second named bolt constituting common means for securing the spacing element in the member and the draw bar between said member and the bracket, said spacing element having a recess therein adjacent the open side of the member, said recess providing a seat, and a coil spring having one end engaged with the seat and its other. and engaged with the lever for yieldingly urging the latch toward operative position.

MIILARD H. SAWYER. 

